


Be My Escape

by BetterYouThanMe



Series: Harry Potter Drabbles [35]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Awkwardly cute, Fluff, Inspired by Tangled/Rapunzel, non-magic au, they're KIDS
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-10-01 00:46:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17234258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BetterYouThanMe/pseuds/BetterYouThanMe
Summary: Oliver gets angry and runs away from his dad. He comes across a house and sees a red-headed boy sitting in the window. Chaos and friendship ensue.





	Be My Escape

Oliver's feet pounded against the grassy earth as he weaved his way through the trees. His breathing was heavy from the running. He wasn't really sure where he was going except for the fact that he knew not to go back. He couldn't go back to his house. Not now.

Summer had just begun and the heat was enough to cause Oliver's back to be covered in sweat. He had to break every now and then to catch his breath. He knew his father wasn't following him. Oliver also knew that he was better at sprinting shorter distances than running longer ones. A soccer field was only so long and Oliver didn't go about running marathons.

He ran for a bit more before coming to a house. It was several stories tall—probably the tallest house Oliver had ever seen. There was a boy sitting in one of the windows gazing out of the landscape.

The other boy had red hair and pale eburnean skin. The sun set a nice golden glow upon the boy as the wind ruffled the taller grasses. It would have made a nice painting or picture if Oliver hadn't ruined it.

"Hey!" Oliver tried to get his attention. The brown-haired boy wasn't sure where he was and thought it was best to at least get directions to some town. Except Oliver didn't think about the fact that the boy was leaning out the window.

Startled by the sound, the red-haired boy started to tumble and he ended up rolling down the curved ceiling. Oliver rushed over and by the grace of God managed to catch the boy.

"I'm sorry." Oliver laughed. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's fine." The other boy dusted himself off when Oliver put him down. "I'm Percy by the way."

"Oliver." They shook hands for no reason other than that's what they knew adults did.

"What are you doing here?" Percy took in Oliver's sweaty appearance. "I didn't think anyone lived around here."

"I'm not sure. I got upset with my dad and kinda ran away. It just led me here."

"What led you here?"

"I don't know." Oliver thought for a second. He hadn't run in a particular direction and didn't really think when he was doing it. He just turned when it felt right. "Fate, I guess."

"Maybe it led you to me for a reason?"

"Probably." Oliver smiled. "Are you also having a tough time?"

At this point, they both moved to sit on the grass. Percy sat cross-legged and Oliver tucked his legs into his chest so he could wrap his arms around his knees.

"I guess you could say that." Percy sighed. "I have six siblings but sometimes I feel so alone it's pathetic. It's only us out here and Mother homeschools us."

"I'm an only child so I know how it feels to be alone, but you're surrounded by family."

"That's the problem. They talk to me because they have to, not because they want to. You could leave at any moment and it'd be fine but you're choosing to sit with me. My siblings would have to. The other option would be facing my mother's wrath."

They both chuckled at Percy's remark and the boy continued to talk about his family. Oliver wasn't the best at making friends. Sure, he talked to a few people on his soccer team but he always got a bit too competitive for them. It was nice to talk to someone without the constraints of a sport weighing down on them. Simply put, it was just pleasant to have a friend of sorts.

"What are you having problems with?" Percy had been talking for a while more so than his usual ramblings. One of his siblings would have told him to shut up at this point.

"My dad is a bit controlling." Oliver sighed. "He wants to send me to some stuffy boarding school. It's not too far but I heard that I might become captain of my soccer team if I stayed. My dad says that I shouldn't throw a good opportunity away for such a small thing."

"I think you should take a chance on soccer. The boarding school will always be an option, won't it?"

"My dad says that if I decline they won't reaccept me."

"I think your father should take into account what you want."

"I'm glad we agree on that." They both laughed.

"Why did you run away?"

"We got into a fight. We're staying with my aunt for a bit; that's why I don't know where I am."

"I was curious as to why someone with a heavy Scottish accent was running around." Percy's eyes crinkled when he smiled.

"That's the other problem with me going away." Oliver started moving his arms around. "I think I'd be the only one with a different accent."

"Well that can't be possible; the UK has tons of different dialects."

"Okay, Mr. smarty pants. Do you think you could walk me back to my aunt's house?" Oliver stood. "I'm not sure on how to get back."

"I've never really walked past our property before. Mother likes us to stay where she can see us unless we're all together."

"Do you have a phone I could use then and an address?"

Percy led Oliver inside to use the phone. After a quick phone call with his exasperated father, he hung up and waited on the front porch. Percy awkwardly stood by the door while Oliver's father took his time.

"Do you think we could be friends?" Percy couldn't bring himself to look the other boy in the eyes.

They'd only known each other for a few hours not even. The sun had slowly started to set and the house's pale eburnean coloring turned darker from the lack of light.

"Sure!" Oliver jumped from the chair he was sitting in. "I can give you my house phone and my aunt's phone. But we wouldn't see much of each other; we rarely visit my aunt. Except now I'd have a reason to come visit her because I'd be hanging out with you instead. We could also write letters."

They exchanged information and finished as soon as Oliver's dad showed up. Percy waved goodbye and immediately rushed to his window to watch the car fade into the distance.

* * *

"Are you going to let me up?" Oliver yelled to Percy who was once again sitting in his window. It was still summer but their free days were slowly dwindling.

Shortly after, a rope was flung from Percy's window. It was almost the same eburnean tan as the house. After a few visits, Percy had gotten tired of having to let Oliver in so they got a coil of rope. It wasn't too difficult for Oliver to climb up and it was better than having Percy sprint down the flight of rickety stairs.

They hadn't been friends for long but both of them already felt lighter mentally than when they first met. Having someone in their corner did that. The two boys just clicked and everything else in their lives fell into place because of it.

It wasn't as magical as a fairytale and neither one saved the other from danger (except for when Oliver caught Percy the first day). But they had been each other's saving graces when it came to their inner selves. It was cheesy as hell but at least now they had each other.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on my Fanfiction.net page  
> https://www.fanfiction.net/u/5665438/BetterYouThanMe


End file.
